1. Building Great Programs for Seniors
Amy Alessio
Goals for Workshop
• Revisit what topics interest today’s seniors and why
• Review 35+ program topic trends and ideas to replicate or
• To expand into clubs
• Highlight elements of clubs or recurring events
Greatest Generation: 1901 - 1925
• Perseverance in face of adversity
• Courageousness
• Frugal spending habits
• Traditional values
Silent Generation: 1926 - 1944
Baby Boomers 1945 - 1964
• Independent
• Competitive
• More open-minded social values
• Focused on health and wellness
• Values individuality
Second Chapter Café
Whitehall Public Library, PA
• Coffee bar
• Collection including puzzles, gadgets
• Programs
Understanding Their Interests
Library Provides
• Social Opportunities
• Education
• Entertainment
• Assistance and Training
• Resources
• No or Low Cost Services
• Independence

2. Options for Growing Clubs
• Realistic timeline for staff while retaining interest: monthly, weekly, quarterly
• Duplicate club during day and evening (Don’t recreate the wheel.)
• Multi-generational
• Streamlined registration
• Welcome new folks, easy to participate
• Rotate leaders or project leaders
• “Club Connection Slides”
Friends Groups
• Fits lots of requirements from previous page
• Maybe a younger Friends group is needed also
• Can fund senior programs or special events
• Should have its own special events/rewards
• Train library volunteers
• May have to end and restart periodically as members change
Topics and Trends
• Non-binding registration
• Microphones
• Visibility (even subtitles)
• Lighting
• Short handouts
• Time for sharing
• Early seating
• Reminders for upcoming events
Senior Friendly Services
• No fines
• Punchcards for fines, bonus materials, extensions
• Discounts for trips, events
• Technology drop ins
• Appointments for extra help or designated times
• Repeating popular events
Medicare and Medicine
• Partnerships with hospitals, health departments, agencies
• Screenings and drives
• Information and resources

3. o Medicare
o Showing people how to look up medicines
o Housing funding
Health and Fitness
• Health Fair: gyms, simple screenings, demonstrations of classes
• Self-Defense
• Wellness and Healthy Living
• Grocery Stores: new food choices
• No Sweat Sugar Free
• Couponing
• Mental Health: stages of grief, holiday stress
Easy but not Fast Food
• Microwave magic (also good for new adults)
• Four ingredient recipes
• $5 dinners
• Super salads & soups
• Ethnic foods and history
• Restaurant festivals
Safety and Scams
• Internet and phone scams
• Basic self-defense
• Travel safety – international and domestic
• Identity and password safety
CSI and Forensic Fun
Housing Fair
• Organizations to help Age in Place
• Information on Hospice
• Representatives from Day Programs
• Organizations with Senior Programs
• Housing Representatives
• Veteran Benefit Speakers
• Downsizing and Selling Houses
Value of items

4. • Selling Online
• Antiques Expert Fair
• By Theme: Books, Jewelry,
o Glassware
• Presentation on Values of
o Popular Items by Decade
• Display of Items with Resources
• Trigger Memories
Club Connection: Decades
• Fashion
• Food
• Music
• Books, movies or TV from that time or set in that time
• Videos of dance steps
• Photos
• Memories
• Trivia Contests
Leaving a Legacy
• Genealogy
• Recipes
• Memoirs
• Story History
• Photos
• Transferring media
Club Connection: Geneaology
Technology
• Technology Training Tips
• Small Class Sizes
• Tip Sheets
• Hands On
• Follow Up
• Social Support/Encouragement
• Individualized Attention

5. Club Connection: Tech Savvy Seniors
• Setting up Goodreads shelves, other social media
• New library technologies: 3-D printer, downloadables
• Test gadgets or services for other seniors
Senior Tech Scavenger Hunt
• Prizes for completing or entering
• Online chat with reference
• Downloadable app – show staff
• Sign up for program
• Link to library social media
• Put item on reserve online, or online search
• Use online databases
• Download ebook or audio book
Living Wills
getyourshittogether.org
Local and National Benefits
• State Department on Aging
• Spousal Impoverishment
• Illinois Family Caregiver Support
• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
• Basic Overview of Types of Retirement Accounts
Veterans
Voter Registration: Candidate Forums
Senior Discounts
• AARP Card discounts
• Feature Chamber businesses with senior promotions
• Senior business fair
• Travel and transportation for less handout in summer or around holidays
Job Fairs?
• Part-Time or Volunteer Opportunities
• Resume Writing, Tips
• Job Hunting
• Computer and Social Media Training
Club Connection: Library Academy

6. • Four Weeks
• Presentation on Each Department
• Quick Trainings
• Fun Handouts
• Based on Community Police Academy
• What do you wish more of the public knew about?
Club Connection: Grandparent Opportunities
Family Entertainment
• Gaming Night
• Reading Night
• Healthy Snacks
• Movie Nights
• Crafts
• Special Events
• Day Trips or Free Tickets to Museums
Support
Grandparents Raising Children Groups
Materials on State Support
Family Programs
School Readiness
College Application Process Support
Financial Aid or Family Finance Workshops at Same Time as Kids’ Events
Preserving Family Recipes: More About Memories Than Taste!
• Family Recipe Scrapbooking
• Worksheet and presentation to trigger memories
• Pass on all traditions, especially ethnic ones
• Easy binder and page protector recipe albums
• Apron Decoration
Secrets of the Recipe Boxes
Club Connection: Cookin’ Up Nostalgia
• Retro Recipe Exchange
• Jello
• Vintage Holiday Foods
• Classic Chicago Candies

7. • Desserts by the Decade
• Vintage Tea Parties
• Kolackies and More
• Apple Pie and History of Harvest Foods
Club Connection: Crafty Seniors
Retro Crafts
• Flower Loom
• Quilling
• Pom Poms (think roller skates)
• Macrame (but no plant hangers)
• String Art
• Woven Barrettes
• Fascinators
Modern Fun
• Scrapbooking
• Knitting/Crochet
• Quilting
• Computer Crafting: printing transfers
• 3-D Paper Crafts, origami, ornaments
• Terrariums
Club Connection: Crafting for Charity
• Cards for Senior Centers, Veterans
• Knotting Blankets
• Knitting/Crocheting: clothing, blankets, squares for blankets
• Blankets for Animal Shelters
• Sell or Raffle Items for Charity
Indiana Public Media Creative Aging Festival
Club Connection: Creative Writing
• Memoirs
• Calligraphy
• Journaling
• Basic Blogging
• Website Creation
• Non-fiction Writing
• Query Process

8. • Magazines Seeking Senior Stories: Reminisce
• Self-Publishing
• Book Talk on Writing Craft Books
Music, Dance and More
Music
• Festival
• Connected to Dates: Elvis’ Birthday
• Summer or Outdoor Programs
• Beatles’ Tribute Bands, Civil War Music, Renaissance
• Big Bands
• High School Musicians
• Veterans and Memorial Day Events
• Local Trips for Concerts
Dance
• Preview Upcoming Seasons
• Teach dance steps for classic steps
• Victory Tea or Prom for Seniors
• Demonstrations with Music from Professionals
• Ethnic Dance Groups
Movies
• Academy Award Winners: history, show one from each decade
• Academy Award Party
• Family Movie Nights
• Hollywood Trivia
• Film Discussion Group
• Foreign Films
Books with Pizzazz
• 50 Shades of Racy Reading
• Sweet Reads w/Cupcake Decorating
• Crafty Reads
• Delicious Reads
• Forgotten Reads or Shocking Reads
• Novel Bites: Book Club Food Suggestions
• Edgy and Sexy Reads
Club Connection: Book Clubs for Seniors

9. • Easy lending, registration
• Flexibility in choices, themes
• Skype with authors
• Books set in past, even children’s
• Non-fiction
• Play audio
Reading with Animals
Questions?
Time? Space? Funding?